How AI and AR Is Transforming the Tourism Industry
Both artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) have made great strides in the last few years. You constantly hear the excitement surrounding these technologies. AI and AR have reached levels of maturity where they can be used for practical applications in cost-effective ways. The tourism industry has become one of the early adopters.
According to CB Insights, travel tech has gotten $5.3 billion investments in 2017 from VCs and corporations. The US dominated the category. It attracted 31 percent of the travel tech investments. India is second with 10 percent and China is taking the third place with 8 percent. So the interest in tourism technology is a global phenomenon. Let’s look into how artificial intelligence and augmented reality are contributing to the world of travel tech.
Recommendations and Brochures
Online travel agencies (OTAs) are harnessing the power of AI to create recommendation engines. The algorithms can explore your taste in food and sight, combine it with your budget and create personal suggestions. The process is similar to Amazon or Netflix recommending products.
When you go to a travel site like Kayak, you get travel heat maps that show you restaurants, sightseeing locations, shopping malls and nightclubs. Those are not random selections. Kayak uses data-driven AI applications to create the personal heat maps. You can expect more travel companies to take similar approaches in the coming years.
Chatbots, Customers Service, and Personal Assistance
Chatbot technology is not new. However, AI-based chatbots are more effective at providing customer service and answering FAQs. These chatbots can help customers make decisions in an interactive way. Today it’s easier for travel agencies to provide 24/7 customer service with the help of this technology.
While chatbots are making booking tickets and getting answers easier for travelers, augmented reality is changing the tourism experience. When you are traveling, you can point your smart device camera at a museum or a monument and get more information in real-time. These AR-powered applications can work like a tourist guide.
Robots in Hotels and Airports
When we think about AI, we generally think about robots. So, it makes sense to mention real robot hotels that have started to pop up around the world.
Hilton has created “Connie”, the first robot concierge. It is powered by IBM’s Watson AI engine. It helps guests with hotel amenities, dining attractions, and sightseeing recommendations. But Japan has gone further. Henn-na hotel is staffed by robots only. Future hotels might follow this model.
In the coming years, robots will help us more during our travels. Airport baggage checkers, cruise ship bartenders, airport security will be replaced by robots.
In conclusion, both AI and AR are changing the way we travel. The tourism industry is wholeheartedly embracing these changes to create a better travel experience for your next trip.
